Do these scenarios sound familiar?

Has been told your writing is too dense, corporate, academic or esoteric

Is an expert in a complex subject that is difficult to explain

You’re working on a nonfiction book, ebook or chapter and:

You need help figuring out what your manuscript wants to say

You seek deeper-than-usual substantive editing

You want your nonfiction writing to read like a novel

You’re looking for a collaborator whose writing is at the same level as your expertise

You lack confidence in your writing

I can help.

Hi, I’m Sarah.

I want to contribute to a world that works for all beings. I believe that lasting social change can only happen once we see ourselves as part of a living system. That’s why I work with people who are exchanging the status quo (busyness, singleminded profit, domination) for healthier ways of living, working and being—like mindfulness, compassion and sustainability. I believe in the power of storytelling to facilitate business, cultural and spiritual transformation. And I’m here to show you how—orto do it for you, if that’s your preference.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve built a storytelling toolkit that includes techniques from literary nonfiction, journalism, theatre, long and short fiction, screenwriting for television and film, and digital media. I’ve written for organizations from MTV Networks to NASA, and I’ve worked with manuscripts on topics from Buddhist psychiatry to the role of human networks in enterprise agility. I can help you shape your story in a way that engages your readers’ hearts and minds and inspires them to action (or non-action, if that’s the vision). My approach is equal parts story and strategy, magic and logic. My specialty is translating complex information (like research data) into clear, compelling narrative, though I’m also passionate about the simple power of mindfulness and meditation.

Read on to discover how I can help you communicate in a way that will resonate in ripples around the globe…and thanks for visiting!

Guiding Principles

When you choose a collaborator, you’re entering into a relatively long-term commitment (usually at least six months). It’s important to find someone who has not only exceptional writing and editing skills, but also whose style meshes with yours. If you’re looking for a fast-paced multitasker, and I need stillness and focus to bring forth my best work, that’s not going to be a productive match.

Presence

Creativity is not an intellectual process. I use the mind to analyze and synthesize information—and then I put it aside, in order to access deeper creativity. That flexibility, in turn, requires a dedicated presence practice.

Clarity

Words are symbols that can be misinterpreted. I speak directly, and I’m a bit obsessive about how structure, syntax and language impact the reader’s experience.

Depth

By working with one client at a time, I’m able to focus deeply and offer maximum creativity. I treat each project with the complete dedication I give my own writing.

Authenticity

I have a deep personal commitment to transformation, and that includes both rigorous honesty and alignment of my words and actions. I value projects that inspire organic, authentic change.

"Sarah is truly a gifted writer. She paints a picture with words that can literally transport readers to a place and time that is different from the one in which they find themselves, compelling them to feel what she wants them to feel, hear what she wants them to hear, see, smell, taste, etc. In our business in particular, Sarah was always adept at capturing the magical and logical side of a client’s story, bringing it to life in ways that not only delight and inspire, but also guide and direct. She balances between these two worlds—the creative and the strategic—extraordinarily well, and her work was all the better for it...as were her clients."

What I Bring to Each Project

Thoroughness

I dig deep and learn everything I can about your work, to ensure your insights are presented in their full context.

Eloquence

Resonant writing etches itself on readers’ hearts and nestles itself in their minds using a mixture of magic and logic.

Insight

I listen to what a project wants to be saying, then I find the structure, words, syntax and pacing that capture its essence.

Service

I have a personal interest in seeing your work succeed. My service is equally to you, your project and your readers.

The Walking Writer

Walking and spending time in nature are the key ingredients of my creativity. Although today there’s ample evidence that these practices enhance creativity, I began incorporating both into my process several years ago. I noticed that, whenever I was struggling to find the right words, they’d only offer themselves up once I began walking—not during hours of staring at my computer screen.

Intuitive Editing

Many of my editing clients use words like intuitive, seer or psychic to describe my feedback.Maybe it’s because I have a keen ability to read and interpret verbal microexpressions. Maybe it’s because the way I approach substantive editing—multiple reads over a long period of time—enables me to access subconscious observations. Or maybe there really is something multidimensional about my ability. I don’t know. What I do know is that the text tells me everything I need to know about what it wants to be, and what it needs in order to fulfill that. And often (not always), it tells me what challenges the author faces. My editing goes beyond the rules of structure and story into how the text lives and functions as its own entity.

The core of resonating with readers is writing in a way that evokes a response, either sensory or emotional. This kind of writing triggers readers’ mirror neurons—and mirror neurons are part of what neuropsychologists call the “resonance circuit.”